Pleating attachment for sewing machines



L. B. RATLIFF Dec. 27, 1960 PLEATING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINESFiled March 30. 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet l Ill ATTOR EY Dec. 27, 1960 L. B.RATLIFF PLEATING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledMarch 50. 1959 Dec. 27, 1960 L. B. RATLIFF PLEATING ATTACHMENT FORSEWING MACHINES Filed March 30, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 L. B. RATLIFF Dec.27, 1960 PLEATING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed March 30. 1959 4Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTOE/VEY United States Patent PLEATING ATTACHMENT FORSEWING MACHINES Leslie Boyd Ratliff, 5715 McPherson, St. Louis, Mo.

Filed Mar. 30, 1959, Ser. No. 802,887

1 Claim. (Cl. 112-146) My invention relates broadly to sewing machinesand more particularly to an attachment for sewing machines forfacilitating the pleating of fabrics particularly intended fordraperies.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a construction ofpleating attachment which may be readily applied to standard makes ofsewing machines for enabling pleats of proper proportions to be includedin the fabric in the forming of drapery material.

Another object of my invention is to provide a simplified attachment forsewing machines which is calibrated to include the proper amount ofmaterial in each pleat and the proper spacing of the pleats in thematerial for forming the most aesthetic and ornamental arrangement ofpleats in the draperies for specified sizes of windows and doors forthus beautifying the drapery assembly.

Another object of my invention is to provide a construction of pleatingattachment for sewing machines which is readily manufacturedinexpensively from plastics or other material for predetermining theseveral variables existent in the forming of pleats in draperies forenabling a neat and rapid production of draperies to be effected, undercontrol of predetermined calibrations precalculated for the sizes andspacing of pleats having regard to the dimensional area in which thedraperies are to be installed.

Other and further objects of my invention reside in the arrangement ofcalibrations in a pleater attachment for sewing machines and thearrangement of indicators associated therewith relative to the operatingneedle of the sewing machine as set forth more fully in thespecification hereinafter following by reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the attachment of my inventionapplied to a conventional sewing machine;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the attachment of my invention illustratingthe relative position thereof with respect to the operating needle ofthe sewing machine;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the attachment illustrated in Fig.2, the view being foreshortened adjacent one end thereof;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2 andshowing the relationship of the adjustable indicators, the view beingforeshortened at the left hand end thereof;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view on line 9-9 of Fig.2 through one of the indicators;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view on line 10-10 of Fig.2;

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of a conventional sewing machine showing theattachment of my invention mounted in position on the sewing machine ina modified manner;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary elevational view of the form of my inventionillustrated in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 13-13 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken on line 14-14of Fig. 11; V

Fig. 15 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 15-15 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the manner ofmounting the modified structure of my invention shown in Fig. 11 withrespect to the sewing machine;

Fig. 17 is a view showing the attachment of my invention as set forth inFigs. 1-10 with the fabric from which the draperies are producedsuperimposed thereon to illustrate the coaction of the adjustableindicators with respect to the calibrations determining the size of thepleats and the spacing thereof;

Fig. 18 is a view showing the manner of manipulating the fabric forforming the successive pleats by use of the attachment illustrated inFigs. 1-10 and Fig. 17;

Fig. 19 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken on line 19-19of Fig. 17 and illustrating particularly the position of the adjustableindicator for forming the pleat in the fabric spaced from the right ofthe seam formed by the sewing machine; and

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary perspective view of a drapery in which thepleats have been formed using the sewing machine attachment of myinvention and illustrating particularly the uniformity in size of thepleats and the uniformity in the spacing of the pleats obtained by theuse of the attachment of my invention.

My invention is directed to a construction of attachment which may bereadily applied to the conventional sewing machine for the sewing ofpleats into draperies. The attachment is calibrated commencing with theneedle position in opposite directions providing graduations related toa pair of adjustable slides which are movable to positions selected forpredetermining the size of the pleats and the spacing between the pleatson the drapery. The adjustable slide to the right of the needle positiondetermines the size of each pleat in the drapery, while the adjustableslide to the left of the needle position determines the spacing betweenthe pleats. The right-hand slide is so formed that the loop of the pleatmay be moved to a position tangent to the side of the right-handadjustable slide for seaming the material of the drapery to form thepleat. The left-hand adjustable slide is positioned with respect to thecalibration to indicate the proper spacing between loops. Thegraduations on the scales over which the adjustable slides operate arein inches, and they extend to the left and to the right of the needleprogressively. The graduations on the scales are measured from thecenter of the needle and to the left of the needle graduations the spacesize between pleats is directly readable, whereas, from the right of theneedle, the graduations determine the pleat size. The adjustable slideto the right of the needle is set as the half-pleat size from the needleposition, that is, one-half of the pleat is the effective amount ofgoods in the drapery to be maintained to the right of the needle doubledback to the needle, and, when sewn down, forms the whole pleat. In orderto set the space indicator for determining the space between pleats, theleft-hand adjustable slide is moved to a selected left-hand positionwith respect to the needle position, whereupon the pleats may beuniformly spaced for the distance between pleats. Because of the widerange of adjustment of the slides, draperies having various aestheticproperties to meet particular window qr door conditions. may be rapidlyand uniformly produced. The graduations are all predetermined so thatthe size of the pleats and the spacing between the pleats are allselectable to meet the proportioned requirements of doorand 'W1I1dQWsizes to insure the most ornamental effect; The attachment of myinvention may be formed from plastic for reducing the cost of thedevice, or the structure maybe stamped from sheet metal and theassociated indicators formed from sheet metal. In certain forms of myinvention, it isdesira'ble to key the 'devicewvith respect to the .-topof the sewing machine for insuring maintenance in position of theindicators with respect to the needle as the relatively heavy fabric ofthe draperies is moved along the top of the sewing ma- ;R eferring tothe drawings in more detail, reference character l designates aconventional sewing machine base supporting the sewing machinerepresentedat 2 having the' vertically reciprocative sewing needle 3.The

attachment of my invention is positioned over the base of the sewingmachine 1 around the needle 3 as shown at 4, and extends both to theright and left of the needle position 3. The attachment 4 is in the formof a plate displacement for presenting the extremities of the indicatorsof the adjustable slides 6 and 7 to the calibrated .scales shown at 8and 9.arranged on opposite sides of the position of theneedle 3. Tofacilitate installation of the attachment on the sewing machine Iprovide the leading edge or front of the attachment shown at 10 withdownwardly projecting lugs 11 and 12, which are adapted to engage thefront edge 14 of the supporting bed plate '15 of the sewing machine 2.The left-hand projecting end .of the attachment'4 is provided withsupporting feet 36 and 37 which elevate the attachment 4-above the planesurface of the sewing machine 1 so that the attachment 4 lies flat onthe supporting plate 15 of the sewing machine.

The'fact that the longitudinally extending upstrucl; portion 5is'elevated above the plane of the attachment 4 enables fastening meansto be extended through each of the conforming portions of the twoadjustable slides 6 and 7 and to be selectively set inposition withrespect to the respectivescales 8 and'9 by means of adjustable clampingscrews. In Fig. 6 I have shown the adjustable slide 7 *in "sideelevation with the adjustable clamping screw 16 extending through a slot17 in the longitudinally extending upstruck' portion 5 with the head 18adjustably engaging the lower surface of upstruck portion 5 and theadjustable 'set screw 18 adjustably engaging the upper surface of thehorizontally extending portion 19 of the angle member which extends fromthe adjustable slide 7; By loosening nut 18, adjustable slide 7 may bemoved to a selected position with respect to calibrated scale 9 and thentightened to set the adjustable slide 7 in the selected position; Theadjustable slide 7' carries an angle member'20 at the upper edge thereofwith the horizontally extending portion of the angle member directedtoward the position of needle 3 for enveloping the 'loop of the fabricfrom which the drapery is fashioned as shown more clearly in Figs. 17and 18. That is to say, when the loop is formed in the drapery materialat 21 the extreme tip of the loop 21 is tangent to one side ofadjustable slide 7 and is confined by the overhanging ledge of the anglemember 20 as shown more clearly in Fig. 19. The adjustable slide 7 issteadied by means of a lug 22 carried by the end of the adjustable slide7 engaged over the trailing or rear edge 23 of the attachment 4 enablingthe adjustable slide 7 to be precisely aligned with the calibrations 9and maintained in position with respect thereto. I have found that it isessential that there be provision for vernier adjustment of slide 7 and,for this purpose, I provide a slot 24 in the horizontally extendingportion'of the angle member formed on slide 7 shown at 19 so that thescrew 16 whichextends through the horizontally extending portion 19,when loosened, by turning nut 18, enables the adjustable slide 7 to beshifted laterally of the attachment 4 within the limits of slot 24 forprecisely setting the adjustable slide 7 to a position enabling theproper amount of material to be included in the loop 21 of the draperybeing formed. 7

The adjustable slide 6 differs from the slide 7 inasmuch as the functionof slide 6 is to selectively set the space between the pleats to beformed in the drapery material. The adjustable slide 6 conforms incontour with the projection 5 as represented at 25 as shown moreparticularly in Fig. 8. The set screw 26 carried by the conformingportion 25 of the adjustable slide 6 has a screw-threaded shankextending through the slot 17 and engaging the clamping nut 27 wherebythe set screw may be tightened in a selected position for clampingadjustable slide 6 with respect to the scale 8. In order to steady theindicator of the adjustable slide 6 a lug 28 extends from the adjustableslide 6 through the longitudinally extending slot 29 in the attachment 4whereby the indicator is presented in precise alignment with thecalibrations 8 as shown in Figs. 2 and 17. V

The attachment 4 is maintained in position on the top of the sewingmachine after it has been aligned by engagement of the lugs 11 and 12with the leading edge 14 of the base of the sewing machine or supportingplate 15 by attaching screws 42 and 43 assisted by adhesion of theattachment 4 with thetop of the sewing machine obtained by means of thesupporting feet 36 and 37 which may be in the form of suction cups.

- The. angle member 20 heretofore explained as determining the limits ofthe formation of the loops in the drapery is provided with individualadjustment means .withrespect to height of theoverhanging ledge 20a byan arrangement of slots 2% and 20c in the angle mem her which areengaged by adjustment screws 30 and 31 shown more particularly in Figs.6 and 7 enabling the loop of the drapery to be formed tangent to theundersurface of the overhanging ledge 20a of the angle member 20 asillustrated in Fig. 19. Thus the fullness of each of the loops may bedetermined for the particular spacing set by the adjustable slide 7. A IV In Figs. 1l16,'I haveshown a modified form of my invention in which astandard sewing machine may be equipped with the attachment of myinvention -as.a permanent accessory where the cabinet top of the sewingmachine shown at 32 is provided with a mortised longitudinally extendinggroove 33 into which the two adjustable slides represented at 34 and 35corresponding to adjustable slides 6 and 7 shown in Figs. l-10 and Figs.17-19 may be adjustably fitted. This is accomplished by mountingadjustableslide 34on an adjustable dovetail member 38 enabling theadjustable slide 34 to be moved over the calibrated scale 39 applied tothe supporting plate 15 of the sewing machine and the top of the cabinet32 to the left of the needle 3.

Similarly, the adjustable slide 35 is mounted on a dove tail member 4%engaging the mortised longitudinally extending grooveand is adapted tobe moved over the calibrated scale 41 mounted in the top of thesupporting plate '15 of the sewing machine to the right of the positionof needle 3'. The adjustable slide 35 carries the angle member 20 havingan overhanging portion 20a similar to the arrangement illustrated inFigs. 3, *4, 6, and 7. The angle member 20 is adjustable in a verticaldirection similar to the adjustment shown in the aforesaid Figs. 3, 4,6, and 7. Thus the attachment plate indicated at 4 in Figs. 1-10 andFigs. 17-19 may be omitted and the independently adjustable slidesdirectly applied to the top of the sewing machine shown at 32 and movedover the independent scales 39 and 41. The pleater attachment is thusgreatly simplified where there is opportunity at the factory to providea method of mounting the adjustable slides. However, where theattachment is purchased for mounting on sewing machines already in use,the arrangement of Figs. 11() and 17-19 is provided.

In both forms of my invention the graduations for the size of the loopsof the draperies and the spacing between the drapery loops are in incheswith the graduations for spacing the pleats arranged to the left and thegraduations for determining the size of the loops located to the rightof the needle. These graduations have been determined after considerableresearch and development and are of such proportions as will improve theaesthetic appearance of the opening to which the drapery is applied. Inthe form of my invention shown in Figs. l-lO and 17-19, thesegraduations are placed directly on the attachment 4 measured from thecenter of the needle to the right and to the left. In the form of myinvention shown in Figs. 1116, the graduations 39 and 41 are applied totapes formed on scales having adhesive backings which enable the scalesto be readily applied over the top of the sewing machine 32 and over thetop of the supporting plate 15 measuring to the right and to the leftfrom the needle 3 as a center.

The method of forming the loops of the pleats and the spacing betweenthe pleats is the same in both forms of my invention. In each instancereference is made to a calibrated chart in which the size of the loopsof the pleats and the corresponding spacing between the pleats for aparticular width of goods is predetermined. For example, the spaceindicator 6 or 34 may be set for a space size of 4%" space betweenpleats on scales 8 or 39 and the pleat loop indicator 7 or 35 is set foronehalf pleat size of 2 The sewing machine is now ready to pleat anynumber of pairs of drapes one width each panel to 24" each panel. Withthe body of the fabric to ones left and with the right side of thefabric facing up, place the right edge of the fabric on the 3 /2"graduation on scale 8 or 39 to the left of the needle 3 with the body ofthe goods doubled back past the needle to ones right; the front edge ofthe pleat will establish tangential contact with the left wall of thepleat indicator 7 or 35 and with the undersurface of the overhangingledge Zita of the angle member 20 which is set for 2 as in Fig. 17. Thesewing machine is now ready to sew in pleat 1 as indicated in Fig. 20and there can be no mistake because the front edge of the pleat willcontact tangentially to the proper fullness the undersurface 20a ofmember 20 and the left side of the pleat indicator 7 or 35. Care must betaken to be sure that, where the goods overlaps to ones left at 3 /2",the overlap is even, as this will insure a straight seam. The spacing ofthe seams for the adjacent pleats is determined from the setting of thespacing indicator 6 or 34 enabling the goods to be marked and advancedto the right for forming the succeeding loop for pleat 2 by doublingback the goods at the pleat indicator 7 or 35 into tangential contactwith the undersurface of the overhanging portion Ztla of angle member 20and the left side of pleat indicator 7 or 35 and seaming at the medialline between the two limits governing the total width of the goodsallowed for the pleat. In order to form the balance of the pleats in thepanel, the drapery material is advanced through the properly spaceddistances for thus forming pleats 3, 4, etc. shown in Fig. 20. In Fig.18 it will be understood that the goods is being moved to the right andreturned toward the left. In Fig. 18 pleat No. 1"has been completed andhas moved underneath the goods toward the left; pleat No. 2' has beencompleted and is being moved toward the left; pleat No. 3' is in theprocess of being sewn, and pleats Nos. 4' and 5' have not as yet beenformed into loops preparatory for sewing. In each instance, however, thespace between needle 3 and the indicator 6 or 34 provides the operatorwith the information necessary to properly space the seams while thedimension between the needle 3 and the left side wall and theundersurface of the angle member attached to the indicator 7 or 35provide the measurement necessary for doubling the goods to form thepleat. Once the graduations 8 and 9 have been interpreted for the propersize of the pleats and the spacing therebetween the operation may beconducted rapidly without loss of the operators time. Having located theseams and completed the sewing operation, it becomes a simple matter tofurther ornament the draperies by additional sewing operation such aspinchpleating for concealing the seams.

The initial work of preparing charts necessary for determing properproportioning between seams and width of seams for certain size openingsof window and door sizes has occupied my attention for many years and,after having tabulated this data, I have been enabled to reduce thisinformation to a practical application in the instrumentality hereindescribed. I realize, however, that my invention may be embodied invarious modifications, and I desire that it be understood that nolimitations upon my invention are intended other than may be imposed bythe scope of the appended claim.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is as follows:

A pleating attachment for a sewing machine having a flat bed plate andvertically reciprocating needle means, said attachment comprising aone-piece elongated plate body portion having a substantially fiatbottom face adapted to rest directly upon said bed plate in superposedcontacting relation therewith, means for detaohably securing the platebody portion to said bed plate, said plate body portion having a forwardlongitudinal edge provided with a notch near the longitudinal centerthereof adapted to receive said needle means, a raised boss upon theplate body portion near and inwardly of its rear longitudinal edge andextending longitudinally of the plate body portion for the major portionof the length of the same, said boss being generally channel-shaped incross section and downwardly opening and having longitudinal edgesprojecting above the top face of the plate body portion, said bossincluding a top wall having an elongated slot formed therethrough andextending for the major portion of the length of the boss, 2. firstindicator element extending transversely of the plate body portion anddisposed bodily thereabove and slidably engaging the top face thereof,said first indicator element provided in its bottom and near its rearend with a transverse recess slidably receiving said boss, said bossholding the first indicator element against turning and maintaining thesame substantially at right angles to the boss, the first indicatorelement extending forwardly and rearwardly of said boss andsubstantially across the plate body portion and having its forward endterminating near said forward edge, a visible pleat width measuringscale upon the top face of the plate body portion and extendinglongitudinally thereof from said notch toward one end of the plate bodyportion and underlying the first indicator element at right anglesthereto, a second indicator element extending transversely of the platebody portion and disposed bodily thereabove and slidably contacting thetop face thereof, said second indicator element provided in its bottomand near its rear end with a transverse recess slidably receiving saidboss, said boss holding the second indicator element against turning andmaintaining the same substantially, at righ t angles to said boss, thesecond indicator element extending forwardly andirearwardly of said bossand substantially across the plate body portion and having itsforward-end terminating near said forward edge, a visible pleat spacingscale upon the top face of the plate body portion adjacent the forward'edge thereof and spaced forwardly of the pleat width measuring scale andextending from the notch toward the other end of the plate body portionand underlying the second indicator element at right angles thereto,said scales graduated in opposite directions from said notch, andadjust-' able fastener elements extending through said slot andconnected with the indicator elements for releasably locking the same inselected adjusted positions along said scales, the arrangement being,such that the material to be pleated is placed on top of the attachmentandmanipulated entirely above the attachment'with 'referencetojsaidindicator elements. v

References Cited in the file of this: patent I V UNITED STATES'PATENTS 4Schwartz Mar. 11, 1952

